Takara: A Meiji Fairytale
by Pink Fetish
Summary: We thought the story was over... Wrong we were. Takara is a princess from the stars, and also a priestess caring for a sacred jewel. Enter power-hungry demons and it's a Feudal Fairytale all over again- in the Meiji time of government.
1. Princess from the stars: Enter Takara

First off, I'd like to thank my good friend Josh for making this whole thing possible. The story line was a team effort, and more than half of the characters used are his. This is a cross-over-type-deal between Rurouni Kenshin and Inuyasha. The plot idea, as you'll soon discover, is as follows:

The Shikon has a little-known twin, called the Kyohaku no Tama. Kyohaku is Japanese for 'star', and you'll find out why in a few minutes. This jewel was forged at the same time as the Shikon, but for a very different purpose. The Shikon brings power and grants wishes, and although it might not be such a bad thing to the user, it can bring death to an entire galaxy. The Kyohaku's power is to bring love and peace to the Earth, making it a much more desirable thing to have on the planet. But along with every sacred jewel comes a sacred guardian, and just as Kagome is the Shikon's guardian, my character Takara is the Kyohaku's guardian. Takara is a princess from the stars, descended from a great miko who one day discovered the jewel floating among some rocks in the galaxy. She picked it up and was too soon devoured by a black hole, the Kyohaku clutched in her palm. One-hundred years later, Takara is born, and fifteen years after that falls from her star into Japan, and wakes up with a glowing purple ball under the skin of her left hand. Here our story begins.

The world was spinning, and her head was rushing, even after the fall. Her body burned all over, and she could feel the blood coursing out of her hand. But why would it be coming from her hand? She had fallen on her right side, but the pain resonated from her left. Takara looked at her palm through blurred vision, and almost fainted to find a large see-through marble, visible from both sides, sticking out of her hand. When she removed it, a hole remained there.

The marble rolled to the side as the blonde-headed figure struggled to her feet, panting to get oxygen to all of her body. It was an odd thing, to have to breathe oxygen. On her star, the main energy source was carbon and other gases. But she found the oxygen quite pleasant, and it made her feel renewed and sort of light.

Using the trees as a guide, and sticking close to the river that wound ten feet from her, Takara gradually made her way to a large pink tree. The bark was brown, but the leaves were pink. No, they were flowers… Sakura blossoms. When she touched them, they felt soft like velvet and more fragile than any form of china. For nearly ten minutes, she sat in the grass, gazing at the blossoms, and taking in their scent. It was a fragrance she'd never forget.

When the image of that blossom was securely stored in her mind, she settled down into a pile of fallen leaves and blossoms for a nap. The pain had somewhat dulled, and she thought that maybe she could sleep. Takara closed her eyes softly, but in a few seconds was awakened by another human. He had a large muscular body, with silver-blue scales on the undersides of his forearms. His hair was wild and black, with a long leather-bound braid hanging from the back. He wore blue pants tied at the waist with a silky green sash, and a large design was engraved upon his upper back. Wings, dark silver-blue, extended from the very flesh on his mid-back, and were folded behind his body. He was kneeling by the river, drinking the water. Takara gasped at his beauty, never having seen anything of the sort before. He was muscular, and his features were defined with graceful shadows.

He seemed to freeze there for a moment and let his eyes linger on the water as beads dripped off and ran down his neck. Then slowly he rose and turned to find the bewildered princess on his bed of blossoms, with hair the color of soft yellow sunlight shining through the clouds. His eyes widened in amazement, never having seen a girl with that color of hair. Slowly he took in her foreign clothing, and the jewelry she wore so freely on her neck, wrists and ankles.

"Uh…" he stuttered, scratching his head. Who was she, and how dare she be in his bed? He didn't like her at all, not one bit. But before he could protest, she was sound asleep, nestled in the sweet smelling flowers, the sun setting behind the mountains.

"… injured badly. Let her rest." Takara's eyes floated open to be bathed in the light of a fire, just a few feet away.

"I don't care, she is bad news. Look at her hair! It's… It's…" The voice struggled to find the right word. "It's just not normal. And she's dressed like she's from some fantasy land, with pretty castles and princesses." Takara caressed the carefully sewn dress with a tender touch, her green eyes lingering on yet another handsome but unfamiliar face.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to be such a burden… I'll be on my way now…" Takara struggled to her feet, only to find herself waving, staggering backward. Without warning the newest visitor was suddenly behind her, catching her as she fell. He lowered her onto an incredibly soft and warm blanket wove from wool, and covered her with another of the same make. 

"Rest, Miss, I beg you. The gods have not been kind to your existence in these past few hours." The man sitting by her, she now saw, wore the kind and soft expression a brother might have. His hair was long and blue, and there were tiny cat ears sprouting from his head. She was too weary to take his appearance into account, and just lightly moaned, turning her head. There she saw the man from before, the one who didn't want her to stay.

"I'm not sure who you kind people are, but I trust you are not deceiving me. I am sorry if I am causing you any trouble… I wish I were not such a burden… I thank you kindly…" Takara yawned, and left off with her apology there. The kinder man patted her bulky blanket, and instantly she was asleep.

"Jaony, you have no idea who she is. How do you know she's not a spy or anything?" The more suspicious of the two eyed the sleeping girl, not quite sure of her yet.

"Rai, your instincts must be quite worn down, for even a half demon like me can sense her aura. She is a priestess, and she bears the Kyohaku no Tama, jewel of the stars. It has been three hundred years or more since the last priestess came to us, bearing a jewel. A rebellion is sure to come, and we must be on the jewel's side, and win the priestess's trust. We all know the fate of the great half demon Inuyasha and his mistress Kagome, after winning the war three hundred years ago. Wouldn't you love to have his place in history?"

Rai considered his friend's comments for the longest time, until finally his walls came down and he smiled. "Jaony, I don't know what I'd do without you. To think I was about to push her downstream!"


	2. The Power of the Priestess: Enter Yui an...

Yawning with the satisfaction of waking well after dawn, Takara was greeted by the smell of cooking fish. As gross as it looked, it smell delicious, and it wasn't long until it was served to her with a side of rice.

"Good morning, Miss," came the voice of Jaony, sweet and kind as usual. The man sat by her, chatting lightly as she ate her meal. When she was finished, he took her bowl and more or less threw it into a rice sack, along with a few others. "I have someone I would like you to meet. She and Rai are gambling right now, but they won't mind if you interrupt." Still smiling, he stood and then turned to help her up.

Together they walked along a rough, untraveled mule path to a clearing in the distance. When they emerged through the trees, Takara could see little cottages, side by side, rather worn down. Each had a small patch of dirt in front and a straw mat to match the woven door. A fire for every two houses was pitched between them, a large copper pot on each. Children ran about, dressed in rags, and elderly women sat in wooden chairs at the fires, stirring the pots. Younger men and women weren't visible, but talking was heard through the trees across the clearing when a stream ran.

"I see this village, but no Rai," Takara observed. Jaony nodded.

"He's behind the houses in the square." Jaony walked ahead, going around the little cottages. Even before he was there he could hear the harsh cursing of his friend.

"Damn it, Yui, you're poker face is so deceiving!" Rai yelled, not minding the children who would pick up his bad language.

Female laughter was heard, and then a teasing, "That's why it's called a poker face!"

Takara and Jaony advanced upon the two who were sitting on straw mats with a pile of coins between them. "Rai, mind your curses. There are ladies present." Jaony smiled at Yui and sat next to her, closer than simple friends might.

Rai rolled his eyes and offered a spot on the ground to Takara, who plopped down on her knees and folded her hands, smiling to Yui. Yui extended the hand that wasn't trapped under Jaony's, and Takara took it, giving it a little shake. She had picked up the gesture walking through the town, watching children playing hand games, and a few young men shaking hands just as she had with Yui.

"I'm Yui," the young woman said, smiling with a slight purr as Jaony's hand slid out from under hers and disappeared behind her back to rest upon her bottom.

"Takara," Takara said, not noticing Jaony's hand. Yui smiled pleasantly and slid off her knees, stretching them out. She yawned, suddenly flopping back to rest her head in Jaony's lap, closing her eyes.

"I win, once again. All that gambling really wares a person out. Who fancies a nap?"

"Damn cat." Rai shifted his eyes and settled down on his back in the shade, lifting an arm to rest over his eyes. Jaony stroked Yui's hair and finally settled down beside her, while Takara stood up and decided to explore a little. Some kids taught her hand games, and after that she took a walk in the forest, sticking close to the path. Just as she was settling down to examine a flower on the ground, she was hit with a small furry ball straight in the back.

She was thrust forward onto her stomach, and then felt what had hit her. By the collar of a tiny blue kimono, she pulled out exactly what had hit her- a ball of fur. At a closer look, she discovered a young dog demon, squealing with fear and clinging to her bosom.

Growls could be heard, and slowly Takara turned to see two shaggy dogs behind her. She screamed and instinctively lifted her hand, a beam of yellow light shooting out. She flew back, hitting the ground with a moan, but the dogs were gone when she lifted her head. The pup still clutching at the front of her dress, she crawled back into the clearing and fainted in the grass, the warm light of the sun kissing her skin.


End file.
